uk-preppers.co.uk

Love those! I couldn't even manage to get lost in a pair of those!

On the Canned food point, I have eaten cans that were 5 years past their best before, as long as the tin is in good condition and not dented or worse swollen you should be okay for 25+ years. Even tried cheese that we put up 4 years ago, just took a lump of normal store cheese and dipped it in cheese wax, have heard that waxed cheese should be okay for 20+ years.

Technically best before is just that, the best guess date that the food will be at its best, after that it might not be quite the same.

Not really a prep, more of a self reliance experiment, but I made a test batch of dandelion coffee yesterday, it's actually not bad and not too tricky to make, the hardest part is washing the roots, tried it years ago when a friend had made it but it's the first time I've made it.
Needed a couple of sugars in it, but then I think the same about actual coffee! About to try putting some milk in it to see if that works.

Edit: It's pretty good with milk.

Stasher wrote:I've been playing some catch up following a six week nightmare. We had a family crisis involving emergency life saving operations and several days in ICU, but everything is now evening out.

Thoughts are with you and yours.

Stasher wrote:SNIP> The main prep related item of note to come out of this is that when people are in an emotional and distressed state what is craved is comfort food, and large amounts of it!

Thanks for giving us your insights.

Stasher, from my nursing days, your best gift to your family member is a quiet smile...it really works.
Your best gift to yourself is a drink of hot chocolate and put your feet up (tried and tested).

I'm not sure that anyone can really prepare for the stress of life threatening situations, but love can get you through an awful lot.

Preps this week. Moved hens into new house. Bought big bag of rice for the coming year. Also bought a big bag of wheat and a grain mill from local organic farm. Heard that organic harvests have been a bit "hit and miss" this year so prices are likely to rise as next year goes on.

bobble wrote:Also bought a big bag of wheat and a grain mill from local organic farm. Heard that organic harvests have been a bit "hit and miss" this year so prices are likely to rise as next year goes on.

Farm prices are already on the rise, feeding barley is now a higher price than malting barley was a few weeks ago - and rising - and getting more difficult to find

Thank you for the kind words, you're right, hot choc is the key!

'Stress' preps are now bulking up nicely

Used Black Friday sales to pick up 3 more Victorinox Hikers, and 4 mora knives (these blades are all for my kids - to be given to them at the right time/maturity). Bought my own xmas present too - a snugpack response pak, which is mainly for carrying a first-aid kit when the kids and I do bushcraft on our woodland walks.

Haven't done much this week, as did some 60 hours of work.
Today I was playing with this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01 ... UTF8&psc=1
Tried to sharpen few kitchen knives, my Mora Bushcraft and cheap as fcuk AngloArms knife. I never sharpened knife before, so started from cheap AngloArms - it's not sharp as razor but seems sharper, same with rest of knives - Mora did past my test of shaving hair from forearm
I am not sure if grit is not too thin, maybe the 400/1000 would be better, but I've seen knives sharpened few times on thick grit and half of the blade was gone

Plans for next week? Excercises - kettlebells plus calistenics - pressups and pullups mostly as last two weeks I had no time nor strength for excercises due to too much work
Another thing - raising qualifications. I do prepare for H&S exams, probably will brush up on my first aid as well and topup first aid with some meds